MOSCOW, November 24 (RAPSI) - Starting November 30, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision will only allow animal products transiting Russia to Kazakhstan and other countries to cross Russia if it clears checkpoints on the Russian side of the Customs Union border, RIA Novosti reports Monday.

Previously, animal products could clear customs at checkpoints in Belarus and Kazakhstan. However, last November a large illegal supply chain of meat of unknown origin was discovered. It used forged permits for the alleged transiting of the goods through Belarus and Russia to Kazakhstan. The meat was in fact sold in Russia.

Additionally, the federal agency requested that their Belarusian counterparts cancel all the transport permits for goods transiting Belarus and Russia, and to stop issuing new permits, including those for transiting to Kazakhstan and third countries.

A similar restriction was imposed on plants and vegetables transiting through Russia, on November 24.

On August 7, the Russian government introduced a ban on a number of products from countries, who earlier had imposed sanctions on Russia. Blacklisted food imports include meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables from Australia, Canada, Norway, the European Union and the United States.